


Reaching Out

by navaan



Series: Age-Series [3]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 10 Quotes Challenge, Flirting, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-25
Updated: 2010-07-25
Packaged: 2017-10-13 04:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/132785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor drops by. Jack hopes it's because he wants to see him, but it's never that simple with the two of them, is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reaching Out

**Author's Note:**

> Written for   [#003] Casablanca (1942)/ #3 " _Don't you sometimes wonder if it's worth all this? I mean what you're fighting for." - "You might as well question why we breathe. If we stop breathing, we'll die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die." - "Well, what of it? It'll be out of its misery."_  
>  Follows **_Understanding Comes With_** _Age_ and **_Not yet slowing down_**.  
>  **  
> **  
> 

It had been a thrill to leave the Hub one morning in search of breakfast to find the Doctor leaning against the closed doors of the Tardis. The man's last visit to Cardiff hadn't been too long ago. And although Jack had hoped then that he would see the Doctor again soon, this sudden appearance came as a pleasant surprise. It seemed they were finally coming to something akin to an understanding.

The Doctor hadn't smiled in greeting. Instead he had only looked at him with an unreadable expression. Jack hadn't felt put off by that. It didn't look as if the Doctor was in a hurry - and that meant he wasn't on any rescue mission. The world wouldn't end today. Or at least they hadn't found out about it yet.

When Jack stepped up to him and asked, why he was back so soon, he just shrugged in answer. “You said I should drop by,” he explained in a defensive tone. He folded his arms in front of his chest and sniffed indignantly. It made him look endearingly childish.

“I did,” Jack conceded. “Is anything up? Or is this a social call? ”

The Doctor fidgeted a little, and Jack felt reassured by the movement. It was always uncanny to see the Doctor grow completely still.

“Ehm... Yeah. I guess so. You could say I dropped by... like a tourist... for, you know, sightseeing.”

Jack smiled fondly. “Sightseeing?” he asked, honestly amused. “Doctor. You have no idea why you are here, have you?”

The Doctor's eyes grew a bit darker. Then he gave a sigh. “I know exactly why I'm here.”

“And that is?” The man swallowed and mumbled something Jack didn't quite catch. “What was that?”

“I said, I felt like company would do me some good today,” the Doctor repeated in an annoyed tone, putting an exaggerated amount of emphasis on every single word for Jack's benefit.

 _Testy_ , Jack thought to himself. He'd had enough experience with the man to not be affronted. “Ah. Right,” he nodded knowingly. “Company.” After the way their last meeting had turned out Jack felt the self-satisfied urge to tell the Time Lord that obviously even old dogs could learn new tricks. He quashed the urge before he could say anything to alienate the Doctor. But then he couldn't be expected to keep to the Doctor's rules all the time, could he? “I guess, this means you are finally ready to admit we are the perfect match?”

One slender eyebrow rose in momentary confusion. Then gradually understanding settled in the man's brown eyes and he nodded. “Yeah, Jack. That is _exactly_ why I'm here,” he said in a suffering tone. His face grew serious again. “We are not all 51st century humans, you know? I'm really not surprised to discover that company and flirtation is one and the same to you.”

“Oh please,” Jack replied teasingly. “You knew _that_ from the minute we first met. If you didn't want that - why come to me?” Sometimes he hated the notion that he could not stop flirting. He very well _could_ stop. He just rarely saw a _need_ for it. Life was bleak enough as it was in his line of business. The Doctor should really understand that.

But his expression had closed off again. “I thought, I'd come to someone who could understand.” It sounded a little hurt and echoed their last conversations.

Jack immediately felt his heart go out to him. Whatever this was about, it must be hard on his friend. After all, he was the one person that was always ready to help anyone, but could never figure out how to ask for help if he needed it himself. He wouldn't make it harder on the Doctor than necessary. “So? Did something happen?” he asked innocently, trying to hide his own thoughts..

“I...” The Doctor fidgeted, then grew still again. “I went to London today...” He stopped and seemed to search for the right words. Jack wanted to point out that “London” and “today” were very imprecise statements when used by a time traveller - but he didn't think the interruption would be appreciated. “I saw Donna today... Well, I heard her, before I saw her, really. She was dressing down a waiter quite elaborately. Apparently he had tried to make her pay for a coffee she hadn't ordered.” The Doctor smiled fondly. “I couldn't help myself, I just stopped and looked at her.”

There was a pause and Jack didn't know if the Doctor would go on speaking. He waited and then prompted: “She's all right?”

For a moment the Doctor's eyes turned brighter and a half sad smile played around his lips. “Oh yeah. She's all right. She turned around and looked at me for a moment. Not recognizing me, of course.” His smile widened and he rubbed at his eyebrow absent-mindedly. “She told me to sod of and mind my own business. Good old Donna.”

Jack smiled. He hadn't really known the red head, had only just met her during the Dalek business. But he had heard a little more about her from Martha and the Doctor since. “She was a remarkable woman.”

“Don't say that!” the Doctor demanded, suddenly agitated. “Don't say that! Don't talk about her as if she is dead. She _is_ a remarkable woman. She just doesn't know it. Because no one ever told her!”

“You did,” Jack pointed out, taken aback by the sudden outburst.

“And she doesn't know that! She will never know that! She saved everyone and she will _never know_ it.”

Jack nodded slowly. He could understand loss. “It's not you fault, Doc. You told me. You had to make her forget to save her life. You miss her and that's...”

His friend shook his head vigorously. “That's not it! I'm _not_ sorry for myself. I'm not regretting that I saved her life. I regret that she was _always_ remarkable and now she thinks _she isn't_ , she never ever thought she was.” The energy seemed to bleed out of the Doctor and he let himself fall back against the Tardis, leaning there against the doors, staring at his feet. “I shouldn't voice these things.”

Jack stepped up to him and leaned against the Police box - right beside the Doctor, shoulders touching. “I'm glad you finally _do_ voice these things.”

“Yeah, well, be glad! But I really shouldn't.”

They stood there in silence, watching the oblivious humans on the Plass.

The Captain thought about his team, his own little band of friends. About the way he had brought Owen back, forced him to live as dead, and how his own past had destroyed his team in the form of his brother. They should really start looking for new recruits, but the pain was still too fresh. Was that what the Doctor was feeling? Winning and loosing, again and again, all mixed up?

The Doctor sighed and asked: "Don't you sometimes wonder if it's worth all this? I mean what you're fighting for."

"You might as well question why we breathe. If we stop breathing, we'll die. If we stop fighting our enemies, the world will die."

"Well, what of it? It'll be out of its misery."

“You don't mean that, Doc! Really, you don't!” Jack exclaimed exasperated.

“Obviously I don't. But the way you put it, it sounds barmy. The world will die,” the Doctor mocked, imitating Jack's tone. “You don't mean it either.”

Jack had to smile at the earnest expression and reached for his hand, clasping it in his own. “You're right, I don't mean it. I'm just making sure that you don't forget what you've done for this world, for the whole universe. You're in a strange mood today. Stranger than normal, that is...” He smiled even brighter at the man's sour face. „You're a fighter. I need to know that you will go on fighting.“

The Doctor stared at him and scoffed: “Wisdom of old age? You're trying to educate me!”

That made Jack laugh. “Maybe a little. I'm sure I could teach you one thing or two about the birds...”

“Don't say it. It would ruin a perfectly friendly conversation,” the man stopped him and his voice sounded a bit strained. “I'd appreciate it if we could keep this conversation innuendo free for once.“

Jack nodded in understanding. Banter had lightened the mood on previous occasions, but today the Doctor was serious about his refusal to engage in any kind of flirting and ensuing banter. It was a sign. Seeing Donna had hurt the him very deeply. Jack had been right after all: The Doctor missed Donna, and he missed company. “Don't you think we're both getting too old for this tiptoeing around all our problems? So let me say this: I'm sorry, that I didn't come with you, you know? I really think you shouldn't be travelling alone.” He looked over the Plass and in the direction of the Hub.

“That's what Donna always said.”

Jack smiled. “She _is_ a remarkable woman then. You should listen to her.”

The Doctor shook his head. “No, I've told you before. I'm travelling alone. Better that way. Besides I'm old enough to look after myself, Jack. I've been alone before.”

He wanted to point out that he was old enough to know what was going on, too. Loss had nearly broken himself before. Nonetheless he still craved company. Being alone for too long was never the answer.

They stayed that way for a while without talking. Jack wondered what it meant that the Doctor had playfully invited him to come along more than once now - although he had just professed he didn't want another travel companion.

Only then did he notice that the Doctor had never pulled away his hand.

“Why don't you tell me a little more about Donna?” Jack asked.

There was no answer at first. Then the Time Lord's hand clasped his a little tighter. “We met on her wedding day...”

Jack smiled, looking at the Doctor's profile. He was only too happy to listen if it meant they could stay here holding hands for a little while longer. One day, just maybe, he was going to ask for that one trip. But in the meantime this would have to do.


End file.
